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Tramping the Emerald Valleys of Nelson Lakes NP, New Zealand — Part 1
The Travers — Sabine circuit in Nelson Lakes National Park, has been described as one of New Zealand’s greatest walks.
Traversing 80 kms of river valleys, tranquil beech forests, translucent lakes, streams, a mountain pass and tussock fields, it is an enchanting alpine landscape. A side trip to Blue Lake reveals the clearest body of fresh water in the world which is characterised by blue-violet hues seen only in such clear natural waters.
It’s fair to say that my previous visit, some decades ago, to the park had not gone without a hitch or two. Take a typical night in one of the huts — it’s late, it’s dark and I’m sound asleep until the pitter-patter of little feet woke me. Hairy little feet and we’re not talking Hobbits! Sharing the hut with rats and possums was never conducive to a good night’s sleep, but on my latest trip, I was relieved that the huts had been upgraded and the problems of nighttime visitors are a thing of the past.
Nelson Lakes is located at the upper end of the South Island, 90 kms south of Nelson. Formed in 1956, the park encompasses 102,000 hectares of mountain ranges separated by…
